Doll eye



Feb. 10, 1953 s. ROSE 2,627,701

DOLL EYE Filed Oct. 26, 1949 WIHEMEX "III-Infill] IN VEN TOR. SAMUELROSE ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 10, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE DOLLSamuel. Hose, Baynne,.N J. Application October 26, 1949., Serial No.123,615 5.01aims. (01.. 4(i-165.)

This invention relates to the manufacture and construction of eyes fordolls.

An object of the invention is to provide. anovel and improved doll eyein which there is: a unique design and construction of the partsv whichare to be= assembled, so that they fittogether with a minimum of laborand are adapted to hold together securely when assembled.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved. dolleye in which there is a combination lens and iris member fittinginto theinterior of the eye-shell in such manner as to give the eye a verylifelike appearance, while at the same time providing support for the.eyelash supporting member therein.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improveddoll eye in which the eye shell has an opening to receive both the"eyelash supporting member and the combination lens and iris member ininterfitting relation, and in which means is provided which fits intothe interior of the eyesheli rearwardly of the eyeball, lens and irismemberto-hold the parts in position.

Still anotherob-ject of the invention is to provide a novel and unusualconstruction of doll'eyes, which is simple, inexpensive to manufactureand assemble, and lifelike in appearance.

Other objects and advantages of the invention willbecome apparent fromthe following descrip-, tion of a preferred embodiment thereof asillustrated in the accompanying drawings, and in which,

Fig. 1 is front elevational view'of the eyeshell of my doll eye.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the eyeshell.

of Fig. l, butshowingin explodedform, the additional components of theeye, such as the eyelash support, the combined lens and iris, and; theretaining washer member.

Fig. 3 is a rear el'evational view of the. eyeshell shown. in Fig. I.

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation similar to. Fig; 2, but showing theparts mentioned under Fig. 2, in the assembled positions in theeyeshell.

Fig; 5 is a face elevation of the combined eyeball, lens and irismember.

Fig. 6 is a rear elevation of the member shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. '7 is a face elevation of the washer member shown in Fig. 2, asseen from the left of that member in that view.

Fig. 8 is a face view of the eyelash support with eyelashes.

In the manufacture of doll eyes, it is important that the parts beeasily assembled, and also that they have ahigh degree. of lifelike.appearance. The present application. showssuch; a. novelcomstruction,.inwhich the parts. are: unusual. lifelike. and easily'assembled.

In order tov understandclearly thenatureofthe invention,.and the best.meansfor carrying it out; reference may now be. had" toz=thedrawings, inwhichlike; numerals denote similar; parts;through.- out the severalviews;

As illustrated. there is an; eye shell; 10; which has: a cylindrical.wall portion: [2,. with. a bore l4, and being smoothly rounded atitsforwardi portion l6. An; opening; 1:] fSICHtLthEOUgh thecurvedforward portion 16 of; the. eye. shellthis opening. being generallycircular in. its. lower portion between the locations 20 and 2 2.. The:rim- 2.4 of the opening I8 hassome thickness as: seen best in Fig. 2,.and it is seen that: the arcuateslot: 26: of radius greater that theradiusof opening; I8. intersects the upper portion of' the circularopening is above the locations 20 and 22, and extends. beyond it oneither side to form arcuate s-Iot extensions and 30.

The arcuate slot 26 also forms the lower-edge portion of a:cylindroidally-curved seat surface 32 which is cut into-the interiorupper surface of the bore of the. eye shell, its axis being coplanar.

with and forwardly and downwardly inclined with respect to the axis ofthe cylindrical eyeshellportion 12', to provide a seat for the-fabricbase 3'4 of the eyelash member 36' which-is held against said innercylind'roidal seat in the: manner. of Figs-.- 2 and 4 upon assembly.This eyelashmember 3B is shown in detail in Fig. 8, and has eyelashes 38projecting from the fabricbasel34- any-suitable. manner, tosimulate thehuman eyelashes. When.

the eyelash support 36: is thus seated in the seat 32; in the mannerofFig. 4, it is clear that the eyelash portion 38 projects outwardly anddown Wardly out ofthe arcuate slot 26 out in -the eye'- shell, includingthe lateral slot extensions 28 and.

I provide a combinationeyel'ens' member 40, which includes acurved'outersurface 42- terminating in a cylindrical surface 44' whichthus seats in the-rim 24' of the eyeshell opening [8 in the manner ofFig. 4. There is also a-curved'integral lens-like section 46 which hasmoulded into its rear surface a number of spiral curved depressions 48to simulate the iris of the eye, and projecting rearwardly out of therear surface of the lens-like section 46 is a generally cylindricalintegral stub projection 50 which is coated on its rear surface 52 withopaque paint to simulate the pupil of the eye. Otherwise, the eyelensmember 40 may be made of generally transparent plastic or othermaterial, apart from the pupil coating 52.

The forward position of the lens 46 fits smoothly into position on thespherically curved seat 54 formed on the inside of the eyeshell for thatpurpose. The upper portion 56 of th eyelens member 40 is cut down as inFig. 5, and 2, to conform to and fit snugly against the inner surface ofthe then curved eyelash support portion 34 which is curved against theseat 32 inside the eyeshell, and thus holds the eyelash member firmly inits seat. A retaining member 60 has a generally spherical surface orrecess 62 to receive the rearward portion of the lens 46, and it is seenthat it has a central bore 64 to receive loosely the pupil projection 52with some clearance. 1

To facilitate the proper positioning of the parts in view of theirnon-cylindrical portions, I provide a detent 86 (see Figs. 4 and 7) onthe inner surface of the retaining member '69 and a correspondingprojection 81 (see Figs. 4 and 6) on the rear surface of the lens memberit].

The rim surface S of the washer member 90 is spherically curved to seaton the seat 54 of the eyeshell with the lens 45, when in the positionsof Fig. 4, and the balance 68 of the rim of the washer member 60 isgenerally cylindrical to seat in the cylindrical seat 70 formed on theinterior of the eyeshell as seen best in Figs. 2 and 4. For matchingwith the surface 32 of the eyeshell, the upper portion 72 of the washeris suitably cylindroidally shaped for a good fit against the undersurface of the eyelash support member 34 when seated in its seat as inFig. 4. Thus the washer member 69 also holds not only the lens member4'3, but also the eyelash support member 34 in their respectivepositions when assembled.

To hold the washer member 65 in position, I prefer to place someadhesive or cement between its surfaces and those surfaces of theeyeshell with which it comes in contact. The rearward portion of theeyeshell may be notched out as at 76 and 78, for engagement with meansfor supporting the eye in the head of the doll. The eyeshell itself maybe made of opaque material, suitably colored.

Although I have described my invention in specific terms, it will beunderstood that variations may be made in size, shape, materials andarrangement without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims.

Iclaim:

1.- A-dolls-eye, comprising: aneyeshell member comprisin a cylindricalbody portion and a rounded forward portion, said forward portion havingan aperture therein, said aperture being shaped in the form of a portionof a circle intersected at its top by a laterally symmetricallyextending arcuate slot of width suficient to receive an eyelash member,and of radius greater than the radius of said first-named circle, saideyeshell member being hollow and comprising an inner cylindroidalseating surface whose axis. is coplanar with and forwardly anddownwardly inclined with respect to the axis of the cylindrical bodyportion of said eyeshell member, said seating surface extendingforwardly and downwardly to the exterior of said eyeshell member andforming the upper side of said arcuate slot, said seating surface beingadapted for engagement with a cylindroidally curved eyelash member heldagainst said seating surface and extending forwardly and downwardly outof said eyeshell member through said slot; an eyelash member extendindownwardly and forwardly out of said eyeball member through said slot, aportion of said eyelash member being in engagement with said seatingsurface; an eyelens member comp-rising a front portion shaped forengagement with the circular portion of said eyeshell aperture and arear portion larger than said front portion for retaining said eyelensmember within said eyeshell member, the upper surface of said eyelensmember being of cylindroidal shape conforming to the shape of saidseating surface and engaging said eyelash memher; and holding means forretaining said eyelens, member within said eyeshell member and inengagement with said eyelash member.

2. A doils eye according to claim 1, wherein said eyelens membercomprises iris-like depressions formed on its rear surface to simulatethe iris of the eye.

3. A dolls eye according to claim 1, wherein said eyelens membercomprises iris-like depressions formed on its rear surface to simulatthe iris of the eye, and comprises a pupil-like rear ward integralprojection, the rearward surface of which is opaque and simulates thepupil of the eye when viewed through the forward portion of said eyelensmember which is disposed in said eyeshell aperture.

4. A dolls eye according to claim 1, wherein said holding meanscomprises a retaining member having a forward surface shaped forengagement with said eyelens member and an upper surface of cylindroidalshape conforming to the shape of said seating surface and engaging saideyelash member rearwardly of said eyelens member.

5. A dolls eye according to claim 4 in which a detent and a projectioncooperatively fitting into said detent are mutually carried by said eyelens member and said retaining member to facilitate the properpositioning of the parts.

SAMUEL ROSE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the

